Dictionary

nightfright en · NOUN

Etymology

From night + fright.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) Fear of the night, nyctophobia, noctophobia
   • Babies of this age often experience nightfright 1981, Lucie W. Barber, Herman J. Williams, Your baby's first 30 months:
   • I was dreadfully afraid of the night (a carryover from childhood, but my self-control just didn't work with night fright), and I smoked. 2006, Chap Attwell, 100 Questions & Answers About Anxiety, page 162:
   • Close communion with God makes us immune to night fright and gives us courage in darkness. 1997, Roger Campbell, Spurgeon's Daily Treasures in the Psalms:
   • In night fright, the child expresses fear about falling asleep. 1987, Barbara Kuczen, Childhood stress, page 350:
   • Though we have had stage windows before, and by the thousands, I don't think I have ever seen this particular use made of them: the sense of air, of nightfright beyond the walls, of extended dimension is so palpable that you believe in the continuing world past the leaded-glass door, half-imagine that you can remember the street-address tacked over it. 1973, The New York Times Theater Reviews, volume 11, page 258:
   • Once properly acclimatised, these pigeons are quite hardy, but they should always be encouraged to roost under cover at night. This will make them less susceptible to night fright, flying about wildly having been disturbed by cats perhaps, fireworks or even lightning. 2013, David Alderton, Pigeons and Doves: Care and Breeding:
   • Remember that in making a judgement you simply cannot predict the likelihood or otherwise of these nocturnal panics. […] It is worth noting that some species are more susceptible than others to night fright; quail and other small gallinaceous species, and tmamou, are among the bad offenders. 2003, A. Kumar, Aviculture, page 74:
2. (countable) A terror or fright typically occurring at night.
   • In the warm light she looked like a little girl who has suffered a night-fright. 1929, Dale Collins, Idolaters, page 243:

Forms

Synonyms

nightfear (fear of the night) · nightmare (terror at night)